On September 9, 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. This act was a landmark piece of legislation that changed the way Americans thought about cars and driving.
Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley on September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas. Buddy Holly was one of the most important figures in the early history of rock and roll. Though his career lasted less than two years, his influence shaped the future of popular music and inspired countless musicians who followed him.
Social worker Jane Addams was born on September 6, 1860, in Cedarville, Illinois. She was the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and is often considered the founder of the profession of social work in America.
After nearly 30 years fighting the outsiders that invaded his home, Geronimo surrendered on September 4, 1886. His surrender marked the end of Apache resistance and the close of the so-called “Indian Wars.”
After more than eight years of fighting, the American Revolutionary War came to an end on September 3, 1783, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.
In the wake of the American Revolution, Congress established the Treasury Department on September 2, 1789.
On August 31, 1852, the US passed the Postal Act 1852, which required private express companies to use envelopes created by the Post Office.
Baseball legend Theodore Samuel Williams was born on August 30, 1918, in San Diego, California. One of the game’s all-time great hitters, he holds the record for career on-base percentage.
On August 28, 1830, the Tom Thumb steam locomotive raced against a horse-drawn car near Baltimore, Maryland. Though the contest ended unexpectedly, it proved to railroad executives and the public that steam power would revolutionize transportation.